Preserve Owners Remain

Officials Unsure Of Action

NEW KENT — County officials have not decided how to deal with the owners of an animal preserve that was not moved before a May 2 deadline.

No action probably will be taken against Joseph and Kathy Cawrse before the issue is put to the Board of Supervisors on Monday, said County Attorney Patrick Morgan.

The Cawrses, who own a 25-acre preserve that is home to a South American chicken, two coyotes, Chinese geese and two 400-pound lions, have asked for an extension to move. The couple brought many of the animals to the county when they moved here in 1985.

The supervisors amended the zoning ordinance in December to make the preserve, without modifications, unlawful. The amendment required, among other things, that a preserve have a 10-foot fence and be at least two miles away from a school. Rather than modify the preserve, the Cawrses told county officials in January they would move. The planning director told them by letter to leave in 90 days, a period that ended May 2.

The Cawrses have asked for an extension until an interested buyer can sell his home and buy their property, which is on a private drive near Route 249, Mrs. Cawrse said.

Neighbors are concerned that the county may have a change of heart and permit the 25-acre preserve that adjoins their properties to stay.

The disturbance that prompted neighbors to voice their opposition to the preserve at a county public hearing continues, said one of the neighbors, Sally Ogle. The lions roar and the coyotes howl in the middle of every night, and the Cawrses have not paid their share of a fee to maintain the private road that provides the only access to the properties.

Fearing that the county might rescind its order, area residents sent a letter opposing "an animal preserve, game preserve, zoo, educational or religious project or any project that involves a collection of animals whether they are exotic, indigenous or domestic" on the Cawrse property to the couple's attorney.

The January letter was signed by Mrs. Ogle and her husband, Robert; Ray and Shirley Wilson; Eleanor and Marshall Tetterton; and Roger and Gail Norton.

Mrs. Ogle said neighbors first signed letters supporting the Cawrses' intentions to keep the animals, but then they learned that the collection of animals would become a public display. After that, they sent the letter to the attorney to make clear they did not support a public preserve.

While the Cawrses say they plan to leave, their relationships with their neighbors are deteriorating. For example, Mrs. Ogle expressed doubts that the Cawrses are really trying to sell their property, claiming the sales price has been increased and the Cawrses are acquiring more animals.

Mrs. Ogle said the Cawrses for the last two years have not paid their share for upkeep of the road traveled by visitors to the preserve. Every year a fee is collected from neighbors, who with the Cawrses, agreed by contract to pay for upkeep of the road, Mrs. Ogle said.

Mrs. Cawrse said the money was never used for the road as it was intended. Instead of putting gravel on the road, a gate was installed at one end to keep residents other than the five property owners from traveling on the road, she said. The gate was an improvement discussed at meetings attended by the Cawrses, said Gail Norton.

The families also disagree about the animals' noise, and both sides claim to be the target of harassment.

Mrs. Ogle, who owns four dogs, said the neighbors do not hate animals, but she and her neighbors fear the lions could get free and endanger residents.